


The First Dance

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Dance of Romance, F/F, Shippy, Trope Mashup, but it doesn't make a major appearance, mention of Bumbleby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22325818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Ruby visits the Atlesian Grand Circus to help her sister and her sister's girlfriend's investigation of the work conditions there after a hostile takeover.  She meets Penny, the daughter of the circus's previous owner.Eventually, they dance 💚❤️
Relationships: Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose
Comments: 3
Kudos: 21





	The First Dance

Ruby blinks up at the sky.It’s chilly, but not too uncomfortable with her warm, comfy coat on.Plus, she has her cloak on over that.And, for all she may be in one of the less wealthy parts of Atlas, she is still in Atlas.If there is one thing she understands about how the kingdom functions, it has a tendency of taking care of those it wants to.

Ruby looks around.She’s certainly surrounded by those Atlas tends to protect the most.The wealth of the crowd at the circus is obvious by their clothing, the numerous pieces of jewelry they wear, and the haughty way they talk.Ruby tries not to feel uncomfortable when they glance at her with clearly disapproving frowns.Sure, the circus is supposed to be a place where everyone can come to be awed and entertained, but this group of patrons seemed to have expected only a _certain_ type of person to show up to this one.Ruby definitely isn’t it.

It’d be easier if she could have something to eat, but she can’t afford any of the concessions available, which is super frustrating.The cookies Ruby has seen looked utterly delectable.Decorated with thick, multi-hued frosting and loads of sprinkles, she’s sure they’re delicious.

That’s not why she’s here, Ruby quietly reminds herself.She wanders away from the concessions stand.After they got banned from the circus _personally_ by the new owner, Mr. Schnee, her sister, Yang, and Yang’s girlfriend, Blake, asked her for help with their investigation of the Atlesian Grand Circus.

There’d been rumors down in Mantle since the hostile takeover by the Schnee Company about the new work conditions at the circus.Yang and Blake tried to look into things on their own, but they’d been caught asking the wrong questions to the wrong people.Now, there was no way they could get onto the grounds without being immediately escorted away.It was up to Ruby to see if there was anything going on there.

So far, with the exception of exorbitant prices, she hasn’t seen much out of the ordinary, and the prices could be explained away as catering to the affluent audience Mr. Schnee wants to reach.Still, Ruby has a gut feeling that there _is_ something to the poor work condition claims, and she’s determined to find evidence.

She checks her scroll.With a half hour to go before the show in the main tent, she has time to do a bit of wandering.There’s numerous small stalls for fire jugglers, magicians, and the odd carnival game set up in long, winding rows.Ruby knows, from the debriefing Yang made her sit through, who to avoid.But, there’s so many performers, she figures, there has to be one that’s _not_ extremely loyal to management.

Ruby begins her search.

After a couple rows crowded full of people pushing and shoving each other out of the way in order to get the best view, Ruby is surprised to find one corner of the circus completely empty of patrons.

The entertainer there is a girl around Ruby’s age.Something seems odd about her, but Ruby can’t quite place what.The girl sits on a tall stool in an otherwise empty stall.When Ruby approaches, she’s rubbing one hand up and down her other arm and staring at the grass under her dangling feet.

“Um, hi?”Ruby steps in front of the girl’s stall.

The girl jumps.She yelps, looses her balance on the stool, throws her arms out, but manages to keep from falling.She smiles at Ruby with a grin too wide to be natural.

“Hello, Circus-Goer, would you like a dance with an automaton?”The girl states in a monotonous tone without human inflection.

Ruby blinks.“What?”

“A dance with an automaton,” the girl repeats.“I am Penny, the first artificially created person.The founder and owner of…” she pauses, “the _former_ owner of the circus, Pietro Polendina, built me himself.” 

“Oh, um, cool.”Ruby scratches the back of her head.“I’ve never met an automaton before.”

“Well, I am very pleased to meet to meet you, Miss…?”

Ruby steps forward, closer to the stall.“Ruby.Ruby Rose.”She smiles at Penny.“It’s nice to meet you, too, Penny.I guess you like to dance a lot, huh?”

Penny frowns, but quickly tries to smile again.“It is the duty Mr. Schnee has given me.I will do it to the best of my capabilities.”

“But, you don’t _like_ it, do you?”Ruby raises one eyebrow.Maybe Penny is someone who can help her.

Penny chews on her lower lip.She looks anywhere but Ruby.She refuses to make eye contact.Then, after seeing that Ruby hasn’t gone away, she takes a deep breath and speaks, “I used to help with the running of the big show and many other things.I liked doing those tasks more.But, I am very fortunate Mr. Schnee has allowed me to continue living here.Therefore, I must do what he wants.”She sighs.“And he wants me to dance.”She wraps her arms around herself.“I do like to dance, Ruby Rose, just not like this.”

“It’s okay.”Ruby reaches out a reassuring hand, but pulls it back when she realizes what she’s doing.She wants to help, but she doesn’t want to get in Penny’s space if it makes her uncomfortable.“You don’t have to dance with me.”She pauses, and looks around.No one else is there.They have privacy.“But, if you wouldn’t mind, I do have some questions about how the circus compares to how it used to run, and I think you could help me answer them.”

* * *

Slowly, carefully, with all the precision she can muster, Penny straightens her new bow.She checks her appearance over in the mirror.Not one ribbon or bolt is out of place.Makeup doesn’t work on her, but she’s applied a special type of polish that makes her almost glow.

Penny turns her head and examines her hair.For the celebration tonight, Pietro helped her change her hairstyle so her ears, and the little ruby earrings he’d given her ‘for luck’, could be visible.The style is very different from what she’s used to, kind of fancy, but, most importantly, it’s one Ruby’s never seen before.Penny inhales, and then exhales.

She’s ready.

It takes a few wrong turns, accidentally ending up in the kitchen, and asking their kindly chef for directions, but Penny finally arrives in the ballroom.Some guests have already arrived for the ‘we won the circus back’ party, but not the one she’s hoping to see.

Ruby Rose is one of Penny’s favorite people, and not just because she helped Penny and her father take back the circus (and win a significant sum of money from Mr. Schnee as a result of the lawsuit).Ruby is kind and open-hearted.She makes Penny laugh and makes her processors go at an incredible speed (like a racing heart, if she were human).And, tonight is the night Penny is going to ask her to dance.A _real_ dance.In a ballroom with a live band performing a specially picked out waltz.A dance Penny wants more than anything, and that she dreams will end in a kiss.

Penny’s never kissed anyone before, but she knows she wants to try with Ruby.

And so, she does.


End file.
